Bluffton teachers get technology boost

Teachers at Muskegon's Bluffton Elementary are getting extra help in using technology in their classrooms.

Bluffton was one of 90 schools that recently were awarded a "MI-Champions" technology integration grant through the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning.

Principal Jerry Johnson said three staff members will receive free training at a two-day MACUL conference in March as well as summer trainings. They, in turn, will train other Bluffton teachers about incorporating such technology as 3-D document cameras and digital projectors into their lessons.

The three lead staff members will work on an online class as well, and the school will receive visits from a teachers' coach, Johnson said.

He said the grant did not come with a specific dollar amount.

A member of MACUL, Johnson said use of technology is a "big motivating tool" for students.

"They get more excited about their learning when they see something like a document camera," Johnson said. "A lot of these kids we have coming to us are visual learners. A lot of them play video games at home, they're watching a lot of TV. That's just the way it is now."

MACUL received a grant from the Michigan Department of Education for the MI-Champions program, which is designed to develop teacher expertise in the use of technology to improve student achievement.

Teachers participating in the grant program are required to develop two lesson plans that integrate technology that are then shared on a statewide network, according to the MACUL Web site.